Apparatus for straightening hair



Dec. 11936. s. DE LADO APPARATUS FOR STRAIGHTENING HAIR FledDeG. 20,1934 Patented ec. l', 1936 UNI-TED STATES oF-'FICE 10 Claims.

This invention relates to straightening hair which has a wavy or kinkycharacteristic due to natural growth or previous treatment by which theset or wave has been produced, and the inven- 5 tion includes animproved method of and means for producing the result.

Hair straightening as heretofore practiced has usually involved the useof pressure and heat applied by cumbersome heating appliances, difcultto use, and tendency to produce large heat zones causing greatdiscomfiture to a user or a person being treated. Furthermore, theappliances heretofore employed required an appreciable time to effecttreatment and in general produced a pressing of the hair in a xedposition in the appliances used resulting, in many cases, in overheatingand extreme drying of the hair with attendant damage.

It is an object of the invention to provide u a device for straighteningeither long or short hair which can be easily manipulated to produceadesired result without subjecting a user or person operated on toextended heat zones.

Among other objects of the invention are, to provide a` device forproducing an ironing eiTect on both sides of a strand of hair beingtreated, and one in which the ironing eifect is produced between tworelatively movable heatedconiform casings capable of reverse rotation toproduce a back and forth ironing eifect at suitable speeds andcontrolled heat conditions under control of the user of the appliance.Furthermore, it is an object to provide a device which will produce anironing effect by the rotating coniform casings resembling that ofironing with a drawing of the surface of the hair, the coniform casingspresenting different surfaces having diiferent peripheral speeds. Otherobjects include the supplemental use of the device in connection withtreatment of hair being wound or unwound on the conventional heatingspools of present permanent treatment apparatus.

Briey stated, the invention comprises ironing the hair between twoheated coniform casings so arranged as to have reversing rotativemovement to produce a back and forth ironing eifect at suitable speeds,and the device comprisesa hand appliance including driving and heatingmeans and control means for suitable operation of the device.

Further advantages of the apparatus of they invention will be moreclearly understood yfrom the following detailed description of theinvention where reference is had to the accompanying 55; 'drawingformingae part ofthe specication and (Cl. Y 132-31) wherein similar'reference characters represent similar parts throughout', the severalgures of the drawing'.

In the drawing:-

Fig. 1 isaf'view-in elevation of the hair straighteri-ing device oftheinvention.

Fig.- 2 isw a central longitudinal sectional view of tlie device of Fig.1v;

Figi'.` 3l isha' view partly in elevation and partly in section taken'onthe line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. Lfis-af-section'a-lview taken onl the line 4---4 of Fig. 2.

Fig; 5'is a sectional View onthe line 55- of Fig. 2".r

Fig. 6ffis4 abroken cross sectionalY view taken on the Vvline 66 of Fig.2. Y y

Fig-5' ,'fis a view'in elevation of the rotating cams.'

Figi 8#isiafp'erspectivel View of the transmission1` member for'interconnecting the cams shownin Fig. 7. f

Fig; 9r` is a -broke'n view partly in section showingthe arrangementy ofparts forv opening and closing't-lie-casings The device consists of ahandle or casing comprising an' outer member 50, and an innerconcentric# member I'ZT, spaced from each other throughout substantiallytheentire' length of the outern'ierrrber-tor lafford an insulating airspace. The handle Isupports at its vforward end two relativelyv movablehollow coniform casings Al and 2, rotatably mounted in relativelymovable bed blocks 3A and 4, and ifu'rtherfencloses andsupp'ortspowertransmissionand controlstherefor to effectoperation ofthe device.Each of the hollow con'ifo'rmv casings I and 2 house electrical`resistance hea-ting units Ilielectrically-connectedvv by leads '--llfto contact rings ISL- associated with the' rotatable: casingssan'cl"insulated from each other andi-rom tli'efcasings.` Current is lsuppliedtol` the heating elements from conventional brushes IEPmounted'inandinsulated from the respective b'edblocks andelectrically:connected tothey circuit wires Il, which'traversethe handle betweenftheiinnerandouter membersto connectfwith `a heat-control resistor 38 and a switch39fcontrolli'ng the'y resistor andthe currentto the device; The resistorand' switchaij': supported by a" memberl 5"' detachably fastenedwithirrthe krear end of 4'theinner'member I2f'forming a'closure thereforandalso'a support for al driving shaft connectionl 35;

The" two* heated coniform" vcasingsare `arranged for rot'atorif' inreverse directionv under'the' co`ii' trol off-theluser, This'Iis-accomplished by" twol parallel transmission connections within thehandle including shaft assemblies, cam cylinders, clutches andintermeshing gears. Power for driving the rotating casings is derived,in the device as illustrated, from the shaft connection 35, although itwill be understood that a small electric motor may be enclosed in thecasing as a driving means, if so desired. A driving cam cylinder 1 and asimilar driven cam cylinder 8, each having cam tracks I4, are supportedand journaled in two spaced anti-friction bearing assemblies 9, and areinterconnected by a transmission member 45 positioned for lateralmovement between the cam cylinders. Oppositely projecting pins I3 engagein the cam tracks I4 `so that rotary motion imparted to the driving camcylinder is transmitted to the driven cam cylinder to drive it in theopposite direction of rotation. To prevent rotation of the transmissionmember it is provided with an outer surface conforming with the innersurface of the handle casing and with longitudinally extending groovesI5 adapted to receive diametrically opposed guide flanges I6 on thehandle casing.

The driving cam cylinder is connected at one end with the shaftconnection 35 by clutch member1I8, and at its other end through clutchmember I9 with releasable spring-pressed clutch member 28 in turnsplined on shaft 2| which has one end thereof freely rotatable in thebore of clutch shaft 22 having driving connection with the casing I atone end and having a clutch member 34 at the other end for cooperationwith clutch member 33 slidable on shaft 2|. The hollow shaft 22 isrotatably mounted in two spaced antifriction bearing assemblies 23 andcarries a pinion 24 meshing with a similar pinion 24 on a` parallelshaft 25, similarly mounted in the bearing assemblies for driving theother coniform casing 2 connections to which are made from shaft 25through the intermediate shaft 26 andthe two universal joints 21 and 28.The driven cam cylinder 8 has mounted on one end a clutch member 30 forreleasable engagement with a movable clutch member 29 on shaftconnection 25 to shaft 26, and to the rotatable casing 2.

A change block or clutch shifting member 32 is arranged for slidingengagement on side flanges in the inner member of the handle similarlyto the transmission member 8. 'Ihis clutch shifting member is normallypositioned between the parallel shaft connections and has an extension32' at one end adapted to cause disengagement of clutch members 20 and29 from the respective cooperating clutch members I9 and 30 when theshifting member moves toward the forward end of the casing. At theopposite end, the shifting member is channeled for engagement with theflange of clutch member 33 which is splined on shaft 2I for longitudinalmovement into driving engagement with clutch member 34 connected withpinion shaft 22. A lever 35 pivotally mounted in the casing has pivotalengagement at one end with the clutch shifting member and at the otherend with one end of a lever operating connecting bar 36 positionedbetween the inner and outer members of the handle casing. The other endof the bar is connected to a manually operable control member 31'extending through both members of the handle casing and this controlmember may be moved longitudinally of the handle through slots formedtherein to control the rotating operation of the coniform heatedcasings. For this purpose also, the end of the nnntrol member extendswithin the handle for stop engagement with an end portion of the bellcrank lever 31 loosely pivoted on screw studs 38 for effecting openingand closing of the relatively movable heated casings.

The rotatable coniform casings are arranged to have an open position asillustrated in Fig. 9, or to have a closed position when treating hairas shown in Figs. 1 and 2. For effecting these relative positions of thecasings, casing I is rotatably mounted in bed block 4 held in xedposition in the handle, whereas casing 2 rotatably mounted in bed blo-ck3 may be swung on its laterally extending pivot axles 40 engaging withinapertures 4I in the inner member I2 of the handle. The universal jointsin the shaft connection and the movement of the axles in the apertures4I, enlarged for the purpose, allow for the angular change in theposition of the casing. The movable bed block 3 straddles the fixed bedblock 4 with the depending hook flanges 42 in side recesses 43 of thelower block, with the flanges serving as guides to maintain thealignment of the casing and as members engaging lifting leverconnections. Referring in particular to Fig. 9, the opening and closingmechanism for the movable block consists of the lifting lever arms 46pivotally mounted in the walls of the handle by the screw studs 41 andcooperating bell crank lever 31 similarly pivoted on studs 38 and havinga hand hold extension 48 disposed on the exterior of the handle. Thebell crank lever 31 has a slotted arm extension 49 which connects with apin or lateral projection at one end of the lever arm 46 to causemovement of the latter when the bell crank lever is moved. Anotherportion of the bell crank lever extends transversely of the handle andhas a lateral projection 52 adapted to engage behind and move controlelement 31 and in turn the clutchY shifting member when the bell crankis in the depressed position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The forwardswinging movement of this portion of the crank lever arm is arrested,however, when the control element 31 reaches the end of the slot andthis position is such as to preclude application of more thanpredetermined pressure contact on hair being treated between thecasings. This pressure need not be stronger than to catch the strand ofhair lightly between the casings. The outer ends of lever arms 46 engageat sides of block 3 the hooked flanges to cause lifting and pivoting ofthe movable block 3. Springs 5I mounted on the lifting lever arms havefree ends engaged under the axles of the block to allow for increasedopening of the block and for parallel working surfaces between casings Iand 2 during operation of the device. The springs assist in lifting theaxles 40 by which movement the block 3 moves away from block 4, thusgiving a larger opening angle. In closing the casings the springs compelthe casing 2 to assume a position in which the treated strand will bebetween two parallel surfaces.

The operation of the device is as follows. Power is supplied by aflexible shaft connected to the clutch element 35, causing rotation ofthe driving cam cylinder 1 with its endless cam track I4 in engagementwith one of the pins o-f the transmission block 45. The rotation of thecam cylinder 1 is continuous in either clockwise or anti-clockwisedirection, as the case may be, and causes reciprocation of thetransmission block 45. This reciprocation of the block is transmittedinto an oscillatory motion in cam cylinder 8 by engagement of oneof thepins of lthey block CII with the cam track in the driven cylinder, thuscausing the driven cam cylinder and'connected clutch member to oscillatewhile the driving cylinder and connected clutch members continuouslyrotate. The cam groove in the driving cylinder is in effect continuousand therefore the transmission member 45 performs a completereciprocation for each revolution of the driving cylinder. Theoscillatory motion of the driven cylinder 8 is transmitted-to theconiform casings by shaft 25, the engaging pinions, and their respectivedrive connections with the casings. This condition oLqperation is thatfor the appliance where treating hair with the control members in i theposition illustrated in Fig 2. In this position, the bell crank leverhas its hand hold member 48 depressed substantially parallel with thehandle of the appliance causing theextension 52 on the lever to engagethe control element 31 f and force it to its forward position whereinthe clutch shifting member `causes engagement of the movable clutchmembers with those connected with the cam cylinders. Shaft 2l extendingfrom the driving cylinder connections, being `free to rotate in hollowshaft 22, does not transmit power in this condition of the apparatus.

When the hand hold member 48 is lifted to swing the bell crank lever thelever projection 52 swings rearwardly and lifting lever 46 is caused tolift and turn the block carrying the upper rotatable casing so as tocause the casings to open to a position as shown in Fig. 9 to releasethe hair from between the casings, the universal joints and the mannerof mounting the movi able bed block permitting the angular movement andthe movement away from the other casing. With the hand holdlever lifted,the control member 3l may be manually moved rearwardly causing theclutch shifting member to disengage clutch members 29--30 and |9-2U tobreak power transmission through the apparatus. By further backwardmovement of the control member 31', clutch shifting means 32 causesmovement of clutch member 33 into Aengagement with clutch member 34connected with a shaft 22. Clutch member 33 being splined on shaft 2| ispermitted to slide thereon and its engagement withcooperating clutchmember 34 imparts a continuous rotation to the heated coniform casing I.Clutch members 23--30 being disengaged, this continuous rotationof thecasing I is transmitted to casing 2 by the meshing of gears 24-24. Withthe control member 31 in its most rearward position, as described, thecasings may again be closed w. to clamp a strand of hair in the positionas illustrated in Figs. l and 2, to effect treatment of the hair betweencontinuously rotating casings. It is only after swinging the casings tofull open position that continuous rotation is produced.

The heating of the coniform casings is accomplished by the heatingcoilsI under control of the resistor and switch so as to produce the amountof heat desired by a user.

This invention as described provides apparatus for treating hair whereinthe hair receives a treatment resembling an ironing back and forth on asmall surface on both sides of the strand of hair being treated. Thisironing effect may be enhanced by placing the hair under moderatetension to reduce its moving action between the casings. This willproduce the effect of ironing with a drawing on the surfaces.

With the hair under tension, the working surfaces of the casings willincrease or decrease in accordance to the diameter of the casing sur-The apparatus presents the advantages of having small heat zones,.oftreatingl the hair without pressure thus preventing pulling and tearingof the hair, of ironing in place on small surfaces beginning at anypoint on a strand ofhair and working in any direction, and of utilizingthe rotativeoscillatory cone shaped casings to straightening theshortest strand of curly or kinky hair.

I claim:

1. An appliance for `treating hair to straighten it which comprises, ahandle, a, pair of opposed rotatably mounted and relatively movableconiform casings mounted at one end of the handle, means for heating thecasings, and means for producing reversing rotation of the casings whilein contact with a strand of hair being treated.

2. An appliance for treating hair to straighten it which comprises, ahandle, a pair of opposed rotatably mounted and relatively movableconiform casings mounted at one end of the handle,

means for heating the casings, means for effecting angular movement ofone casing with respect to the other, means for maintaining asubstantially parallel relationship of working surfaces of the casingswhen the casings are in working position, and means for rotating thecasings at uniform speed.

3. An appliance for treating hair which comprises, a handle, tworotatably mounted and relatively movable coniform casings mounted at oneend of the handle, means for moving one of the casings with respect tothe other, means for heating the casings under control of a' user,driving connections for the casings, said driving connections includinga member arranged to rotate continuously in one direction, and means fortranslating continuous movement of said member into oscillatory rotativemovement for the casings.

4. An appliance for treating hair which comprises, a handle, twocooperating rotatably mounted and relatively movable coniform casingsmounted at one end of the handle, means for pivotally mounting one ofthe casings so that it may be swung to open and closed position withrespect toV the other casing with the working surfaces of the casingssubstantially parallel in the closed position, manually operable meansfor swinging the movable casing to open and closed position to releaseor engage a strand of hair between the casings, andl means for producingan oscillatory rotative movement of the casings to produce a back andforth ironing effect on a strand of hair engaged between the casings.

5. An appliance for treating hair' which comprises, a handle, twocooperating rotatably mounted and relatively movable coniform casingsmounted at one end of the handle, means for electrically heating thecasings, means for pivotally mounting one of the casings so that it maybe swung to open and closed position with respect to the other casingwith the working surfaces of the casing substantially parallel in theclosed position, manually operable means for swinging the movable casingto open and closed position to release or engage a strand of hairbetween the casings, driving means for producing oscillatory rotativemovement of the casings to iron a strand of hair engaged between thecasings, and control means for controlling operative connection'of saiddriving means with said casings.

6. An appliance for treating hair to straighten soy arranged to rotatecontinuously 1n one direction,

it which comprises, a handle, a pair of opposed rotatably mounted andrelatively movable coniform casings mounted at one end of the handle,means for heating the casings, means for electlng angular movement ofone casing with respect to the other, means for maintaining asubstantially parallel relationship of working surfaces of the casingswhen the casings are in working position, a pair of rotatably mountedcylinders having cam tracks therein, means for continuously driving oneof the cylinders with rotating movement, a transmission member engagedin the cam tracks of the cylinders to convert the continuous rotatingmovement of the one cylinder into oscillatory rotative movement in theother cylinder, connecting means including clutches between thecylinders and the oasings for driving the casings with oscillatoryrotative movement, and manually controlled clutch operating means forengaging and disengaging the clutches to control the driven movement oithe casings.

7. An appliance for treating hair to straighten it which comprises, ahandle, a pair of opposed rotatably mounted and relatively movableconiiorm casings mounted at one end of the handle, means for heating thecasings, means for effecting angular movement of one casing with respectto the other, means for maintaining a substantially parallelrelationship of working surfaces of the casings when the casings are inworking position, a pair of rotatably mounted cylinders having camtracks therein, means for continuously driving one of the cylinders withrotating movement, a transmission member engaged in the cam tracks ofthe cylinders to convert the continuous rotating movement of the onecylinder into oscillatory rotative movement in the other cylinder,connecting means including clutches between the cylinders and thecasings for driving the casings with oscillatory rotative movement,manually controlled clutch operating means for engaging and disengagingthe clutches to control the said last mentioned means being positionedfor engagement by the means for eiecting angular movement of the casingsto eiect operation of the casings.

8. An appliance for treating hair which comprises, a handle, twocooperating rotatably mounted and relatively movable coniform casingsmounted at one end of the handle, means for` pivotally mounting one ofthe casings so that it may be swung to open and closed position withrespect to the other casing with the working surfaces of the casingssubstantially parallel in the closed position, manually operable meansfor swinging the movable casing to open and closed position to releaseor engage a strand of hair between the casings, driving connections forsaid casings including a member means for translating continuousmovement of said member into oscillatory rotative movement for thecasings, control means for controlling operative connection of said lastmentioned means with the casings, said control means including a memberoperated by the manually operable means in swinging the movable casingto closed position to effect oscillatory-rotative movement of thecasings.

9. An appliance for treating hair which comprises, a handle, twocooperating rotatably mounted and relatively movable coniform casingsmounted at one end of the handle, means for pivotally mounting one ofthe casings so that it may be swung to open and closed position withrespect to the other casing with the working surfaces of the casingssubstantially parallel in the closed position, manually operable meansfor swinging the movable casing to open and closed position to releaseor engage a strand of hair between the casings, a driving shaftconnection for each of the casings, gears associated with the shaftconnections to provide correlated movement of the casings, a pair ofparallel rotatably mounted cam cylinders, means for driving one of thecylinders with a continuous rotary movement, means for converting thecontinuous rotary movement of one cylinder into oscillatory rotativemovement in the other cylinder, a plurality of clutches for connectingand disconnecting the cylinders with the shaft connections of thecasings, and clutch control means for producing driving connections ofthe casing with either the continuously rotating cylinder or theoscillatory rotative cylinder.

10. An appliance for treating hair which comprises, a handle, twocooperating rotatably mounted and relatively movable coniform casingsmounted at one end of the handle, means for pivotally mounting one ofthe casings so that it may be swung to open and closed position withrespect to the other casing with the working surfaces of the casingssubstantially parallel in the closed position, manually operable meansfor swinging the movable casing to open and closed position to releaseor engage a strand of hair between the casings, a driving cam cylinder,a driven cam cylinder, a transmission member interconnecting saidcylinders for connecting continuous rotative movement of one cylinderinto oscillatory rotative movement in the other cylinder, drivingconnections including clutches between the cylinders and the casings,said connections to the pivotally mounted casing including universaljoints to permit the angular movement of the casing, and manuallyoperable control means for operating the clutches to produce oscillatoryrotative movement or continuous rotating movement of the casings.

STEPHAN DE LADO.

